Skeletal Muscle DamageNCT06260215
Recovery Kinetics Following a Soccer Training in Middle-aged Males
A study testing ST in people with Skeletal Muscle Damage, run by University of Thessaly at 1 site in Greece.
Trial summary
This study aims at investigating the recovery kinetics of skeletal muscle damage, neuromuscular fatigue and performance following a single soccer trainning session in middle aged males. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 40 to 60 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Skeletal Muscle Damage
- What is being tested?
- ST
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 11 participants
- Where
- 1 siteGreece
- Study dates
- 5 Feb 2024to 9 Mar 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 40 to 60 years
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Free of musculoskeletal injuries
- No use of ergogenic supplements or medication
- Free of chronic diseases
- age of 40-60 years
Who cannot join
- Musculoskeletal injury
- Use of alcohol, caffeine and any type of ergogenic supplements or medication during the course of the study
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Greece1 site
University o Thessaly, School of Physical Education and Sports Science
Trikala, 42100
About this study
This study aims at investigating the recovery kinetics of skeletal muscle damage, neuromuscular fatigue and performance following a single soccer trainning session in middle aged males. The participants will perform a soccer training session [A single training session including 60 minutes of warm up, soccer technical exercises and small-sided game] and a cotrol trial (No intervention included, only daily measurements) in randomized, repeated measures, crossover design. Assesesments related to skeletal muscle damage, performance and neuromuscular fatigue will be executed before the training session and daily for four consecutive days after training.
Read the detailed description
Eleven male middle-aged participants will be included in this study. Participants will be initially informed about the main goals of study as well as the associated risks and benefits and then will provide their signed consent form. At baseline, they will undergo assessment of their anthropometrics (body mass, height, BMI, WHR), body compotition (using DXA), physical contition level (peak oxygen consumption, VO2peak), haemodynamic profile (diastolic and diastolic blood pressure) and daily dietary intake.Thereafter, they will participate in two experimental trials (Control trial and Soccer trial) in a randomized, crossover, repeated measure design: 1) ST (Soccer Trial): Participants in this trial will perform a soccer training session (60 min) consisted of warm-up, technical exercises and small-sided game, CT (Control Trial): Participants in this trial will only execute the evaluations daily in the dependent variables (they will not receive any intervention). Before each trial, the participants will provide a resting blood sample (for the determination of white blood cells, granulocyte cells, monocyte cells, lymphocyte cells, Hemeatocrit, Hemoglobin, red blood cells and platelets, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione and creatine kinase activity) and undergo assessments of their delay onset muscle soreness (DOMS), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of knee extensors and flexors (by isokinetic dynamometer), height and power of countermovement jump (CMJ-using force platform), 10m and 30m sprint time (will be evaluated using light cells). A 7-day wash-out period will apllied between ST and CT. The blood sample will be collected before and 24, 48 and 72 hours post-taining. Also, the evaluation of DOMS, MVIC, sprinting performance, power and jump height (by CMJ) will be evaluated before and 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours post training.
- Conditions
- Skeletal Muscle Damage
- Being tested
- ST
- Keywords
- Recovery, Soccer, Soccer training, performance, inflammation
- Medical subject headings
- Inflammation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
STOther
Participants will perform a soccer training (ST) session for 60 minutes. The training will include the warm-up, soccer technical exercises and a small-side game
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | Participants in this arm will receive no intervention |
| SoccerTraining | Experimental | Participants in this arm will participate in a soccer training (ST) session for 60 minutes. During the training the participans will execute the warm-up process, the part of soccer technical exercises and they will play a small-side-game. Receives: Other: ST |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in White blood cell count
White blood cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Change in Granulocyte cell count
Change in White blood cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Change in Platelets cell count
Platelets cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Change in Monocyte cell count
Monocytes cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Change in Lymphocyte cell count
Lymphocyte cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Change in percentage of Hematocrit level
The percentage of Hematocrit level will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Change Red blood cells count
Red blood cells count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Change in Hemoglobin level
Hemoglobin level will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Change in Creatine kinase activity
Creatine kinase activity will be measured in plasma
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Change in Total antioxidant capacity
Total antioxidant capacity will be measured in plasma
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Change in Glutathione concentration in blood
Glutathione concentration will be measured in red blood cells
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Change in countermovement jump height
countermovement jump height will be measured using a force platform
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after soccer training
Change in Peak power during coutermovement jump test
The peak power will be measured using a force platform
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after soccer training
Change in isometric peak torque of knee extensors and flexors
Isometric peak torque will be assessed on an isokinetic dynamometer
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after soccer training
Change in sprint time of 10 m
10m sprint time will be assessed using light cells
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after soccer training
Change in sprint time of 30 m
30m sprint time will be assessed using light cells
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after soccer training
Change in delayed onset of muscle soreness
Muscle soreness will be assessed by palpation of muscle belly and the distal region
Measured: At baseline, at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after soccer training
Secondary outcomes (13)
Dietary intake
Dietary intake will be assesed over a 7-day period using diet recalls
Measured: At baseline
Peak Maximal oxygen consumption (Peak VO2)
Peak VO2 will be estimated by open circuit spirometry via breath by breath method
Measured: At baseline
Body Mass
Body Mass will be measured on a beam balance with stadiometer
Measured: At baseline
Body Height
Body Height will be measured on a beam balance with stadiometer
Measured: At baseline
Body Fat
Body Fat will be measured by using Dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry
Measured: At baseline
Lean body mass
Lean body mass will be measured by using Dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry
Measured: At baseline
Bone mass density
Bone mass density will be measured by using Dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry
Measured: At baseline
Bone mass content
Bone mass content will be measured by using Dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry
Measured: At baseline
Field activity during the soccer training
The field activity will be continuously monitored during the soccer training using global positioning system (GPS)
Measured: During the 60 minutes soccer training (ST) session (72 hours after baseline measurements)
Heart rate during the soccer training
Heart rate will be continuously monitored during the soccer training using heart rate monitors
Measured: During the 60 minutes soccer training (ST) session (72 hours after baseline measurements)
Systolic Blood Pressure
Systolic Blood Pressure will be examined using sphygmomanometer
Measured: At baseline
Dystolic Blood Pressure
Dystolic Blood Pressure will be examined using sphygmomanometer
Measured: At baseline
Rest Heart Rate
The rest heart rate will be estimated using a heart rate monitor
Measured: At baseline
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Feb 2024
- Study start5 Feb 2024
- Primary completion26 Feb 2024
- Study completion9 Mar 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Skeletal Muscle DamageStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of ThessalyThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 11 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Thessaly
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ioannis G. Fatouros, University of Thessaly
- Investigators
- Ioannis G Fatouros, Prof, Study director, University of Thessaly
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06260215
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- FFH
- Status last verified
- Feb 2024
- First submitted
- 29 Jan 2024
- Last updated
- 2 Dec 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Dec 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Recovery Kinetics Following a Soccer Training in Middle-aged Males
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06260215
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- FFH
- Conditions
- Skeletal Muscle Damage
- Keywords
- Recovery, Soccer, Soccer training, performance, inflammation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 11 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of ThessalyUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 5 Feb 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 26 Feb 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 9 Mar 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 15 Feb 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims at investigating the recovery kinetics of skeletal muscle damage, neuromuscular fatigue and performance following a single soccer trainning session in middle aged males. The participants will perform a soccer training session [A single training session including 60 minutes of warm up, soccer technical exercises and small-sided game] and a cotrol trial (No intervention included, only daily measurements) in randomized, repeated measures, crossover design. Assesesments related to skeletal muscle damage, performance and neuromuscular fatigue will be executed before the training session and daily for four consecutive days after training.
Detailed description
Eleven male middle-aged participants will be included in this study. Participants will be initially informed about the main goals of study as well as the associated risks and benefits and then will provide their signed consent form. At baseline, they will undergo assessment of their anthropometrics (body mass, height, BMI, WHR), body compotition (using DXA), physical contition level (peak oxygen consumption, VO2peak), haemodynamic profile (diastolic and diastolic blood pressure) and daily dietary intake.Thereafter, they will participate in two experimental trials (Control trial and Soccer trial) in a randomized, crossover, repeated measure design: 1) ST (Soccer Trial): Participants in this trial will perform a soccer training session (60 min) consisted of warm-up, technical exercises and small-sided game, CT (Control Trial): Participants in this trial will only execute the evaluations daily in the dependent variables (they will not receive any intervention). Before each trial, the participants will provide a resting blood sample (for the determination of white blood cells, granulocyte cells, monocyte cells, lymphocyte cells, Hemeatocrit, Hemoglobin, red blood cells and platelets, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione and creatine kinase activity) and undergo assessments of their delay onset muscle soreness (DOMS), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of knee extensors and flexors (by isokinetic dynamometer), height and power of countermovement jump (CMJ-using force platform), 10m and 30m sprint time (will be evaluated using light cells). A 7-day wash-out period will apllied between ST and CT. The blood sample will be collected before and 24, 48 and 72 hours post-taining. Also, the evaluation of DOMS, MVIC, sprinting performance, power and jump height (by CMJ) will be evaluated before and 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours post training.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | –Participants in this arm will receive no intervention |
| SoccerTraining | Experimental | Other: STParticipants in this arm will participate in a soccer training (ST) session for 60 minutes. During the training the participans will execute the warm-up process, the part of soccer technical exercises and they will play a small-side-game. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 40 to 60 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Free of musculoskeletal injuries
- No use of ergogenic supplements or medication
- Free of chronic diseases
- age of 40-60 years
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Musculoskeletal injury
- Use of alcohol, caffeine and any type of ergogenic supplements or medication during the course of the study
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| STParticipants will perform a soccer training (ST) session for 60 minutes. The training will include the warm-up, soccer technical exercises and a small-side game | Other | SoccerTraining |
Primary outcome
Change in White blood cell count
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
White blood cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Change in Granulocyte cell count
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Change in White blood cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Change in Platelets cell count
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Platelets cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Change in Monocyte cell count
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Monocytes cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Change in Lymphocyte cell count
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Lymphocyte cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Change in percentage of Hematocrit level
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
The percentage of Hematocrit level will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Change Red blood cells count
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Red blood cells count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Change in Hemoglobin level
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Hemoglobin level will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer
Change in Creatine kinase activity
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Creatine kinase activity will be measured in plasma
Change in Total antioxidant capacity
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Total antioxidant capacity will be measured in plasma
Change in Glutathione concentration in blood
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training
Glutathione concentration will be measured in red blood cells
Change in countermovement jump height
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after soccer training
countermovement jump height will be measured using a force platform
Change in Peak power during coutermovement jump test
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after soccer training
The peak power will be measured using a force platform
Change in isometric peak torque of knee extensors and flexors
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after soccer training
Isometric peak torque will be assessed on an isokinetic dynamometer
Change in sprint time of 10 m
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after soccer training
10m sprint time will be assessed using light cells
Change in sprint time of 30 m
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after soccer training
30m sprint time will be assessed using light cells
Change in delayed onset of muscle soreness
Time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after soccer training
Muscle soreness will be assessed by palpation of muscle belly and the distal region
13 secondary outcomes
Dietary intake
Time frame: At baseline
Peak Maximal oxygen consumption (Peak VO2)
Time frame: At baseline
Body Mass
Time frame: At baseline
Body Height
Time frame: At baseline
Body Fat
Time frame: At baseline
Lean body mass
Time frame: At baseline
Bone mass density
Time frame: At baseline
Bone mass content
Time frame: At baseline
Field activity during the soccer training
Time frame: During the 60 minutes soccer training (ST) session (72 hours after baseline measurements)
Heart rate during the soccer training
Time frame: During the 60 minutes soccer training (ST) session (72 hours after baseline measurements)
Systolic Blood Pressure
Time frame: At baseline
Dystolic Blood Pressure
Time frame: At baseline
Rest Heart Rate
Time frame: At baseline
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Dec 2025.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Ioannis G Fatouros, Prof study director
University of Thessaly
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing ST in people with Skeletal Muscle Damage, run by University of Thessaly at 1 site in Greece.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Dec 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Greece. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in White blood cell count (time frame: At baseline, at 24, 48 and 72 hours after soccer training). The study lists 17 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Dec 2025.